Book reviews

Magnolia Creek
Jill Marie Landis Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography History
Jill Marie Landis Books
New book search
Jill Marie Landis Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Magnolia Creek
"

Ballantine, Aug 2002, 19.95, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0345440412

In 1866, Sara Collier Talbot returns to the Kentucky home of her deceased spouse looking for shelter for her and her little girl, born out of wedlock to a northerner. After her own father recently beat her and rejected her and his granddaughter, further dismissal would not shock Sara. Instead her sister-in-law Louzanna welcomes the fallen woman and her niece “Lissybeth” to live with her.

The next day, Sara's spouse Dr. Dru Talbot comes home after serving time in a northern prison and recovering from amnesia. He is stunned to learn that his beloved, the only reason he survived the war, had cuckolded him with another woman. He cannot even look at her lovechild without ire. As Sara tries to atone for her transgression and regain what she once had before the war, an epidemic threatens to destroy the town.

MAGNOLIA CREEK is an exciting Reconstruction Era romance that is more of a historical character study of the aftermath of the deadly American Civil War. The story line uses coincidence (or as Louzanna felt divine intervention) to move forward the plot yet engages the audience through the trials and tribulations of the lead characters and the secondary cast that does not always end in happily. Fans will understand the dreary pessimism of the locals as Jill Marie Landis makes the audience feel the pain from the loss of loved ones and the suffering from economic ruin.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Magnolia Creek
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - 19th century
Difficult/unusual lover? Yes
How difficult? - amnesiatic
Searching/Rekindling love? Yes
Lost Lover: - rekindling love after long time

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - unemployed
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - unemployed
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Deep South

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
What % of story is romance related? - 70%
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Magnolia Creek
A Visit From St. Nicholas by Victoria Alexander
A Belated Bride by Karen Hawkins
Silk and Secrets by Mary Jo Putney
Again and Again by Susan Johnson
Tides Of Love by Tracy Sumner


Click here for more information about this book


Jill Marie Landis Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Felix Nguyen  

SCHOLARS:
Cheryl Brown  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Romance books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Action/suspense subplot?

Captor, in love with

Caretaker, in love with

Children/Pregnancy

Difficult/unusual lover?

Family focus?

Fantasy/Magic

Forbidden/mismatched love?

Hidden Identity/Secret Motive

Inner struggle subplot

Love Triangles/Polygons

Lovers are competitors

Making a living subplot

Marriage/Married

Matchbreaker

Matchmake, (will/family)

Phone/email/mail relationship

Pygmalion--From Wench to Woman

Searching/Rekindling love?

Seduction/coercion/force

Sex/Erotic story, Primarily

Sports training/competing story

Time Travel

Virgin, dramatically devirginized



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
Feedback
About us
Bribe your congressman!
Rudy Giuliani



Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Online Dating Advice
Martina Cole 8:24:18 PM
Deric Longden 7:39:45 PM
Suzanne Collins 6:06:30 PM
Cornelia Funke 4:57:17 PM
Erin Hunters 3:31:47 PM
Jeanette Walls 2:53:10 PM
Jung Chang 2:00:42 PM
Robert Stanek 1:16:21 PM
Aline Countess of Romanones 1:03:45 PM
Lisa G. Brown 11:07:56 AM
Patricia Cornwell 9:40:20 AM
Jane Yolen 2:54:03 AM
Southampton Row 12:26:19 AM
Ann Brashares 12:02:10 AM
Teri Woods 11:38:55 PM
Libba Bray 6:12:00 PM
Harlan Coben 2:48:19 PM
Norah Lofts 9:41:08 AM
Judith McNaught 2:51:34 AM
Harry Turtledove 11:40:44 PM

More message boards